Dirt
The # 1 biggest mistake is not getting the home in the best possible condition when it first ones on the market. That’s huge! I’ve seen homes with massive amounts of dirt & dust on baseboards and lots of unknown stains on tile…that will turn a prospective buyer off!
You should always attempt to make your home in the absolute best condition that you’ve ever had it in. It is definitely worth the cost of having a home professionally cleaned and perhaps a good steam-cleaning tile & grout and carpets. Then it is easier to keep up with while on the market for
showings.
Odors
Odors are a big one…kitchen, pet and especially cigarette odors. I say to try not to cook fried food, fish, or greasy food while the house is on the market and especially if you have a showing soon. But interestingly…next to the kitchen…the smelliest room in the house is actually the living room. That’s usually the room that has the most fabric…so that is where odors get absorbed. Anytime you an do things to be aware of odors…and take steps to eliminate them.
Could buy a plug in air freshner…but not the flowering smells! The best is to use a vanilla scent since it smells like you just baked cookies…rather than trying to cover over a stinky smell.
Old fixtures
If you can…it’s best to change out old fixtures like old ceiling fans or light fixtures in your house…this is money well spent. And new cabinet hardware and doorknobs will probably cost all of $400 or $500…but it makes a huge difference to a prospective Buyer.
Wallpaper
When buyers see wallpaper…they think of another thing to add to their to-do list…since wallpaper dates a home and is extremely personalized. You’ve spent hours looking over books to pick out the wallpaper you want years ago. But what are the odds that the person walking in the door will also like that wallpaper that you picked out? Probably not good odds.
Popcorn acoustic ceilings
These ceiling were popular in the 1960s and 1970s but now can also date a home. Still…it can be a mess and costly to remove…so some real estate professionals say sellers may need to be prepared to credit a buyer in certain markets if they decide to keep the popcorn ceiling when
selling a home.
Too many personal items
Cluttered homes make it difficult for buyers to see past the home owner’s belongings and start envisioning themselves there. Anything that makes your house scream ‘you’ is what you don’t want! I tell all my clients that how we decorate to live and how we decorate to sell are two completely different things…and right now…we’re decorating to sell.
Just give me a call or text on my direct # (352) 843-1988